OFFICIAL END OF EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 185, 2 May 1940, Page 11

OFFICIAL END OF EXHIBITION

Saturday’s Ceremony GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO OFFICIATE Arrangements For Removal Of Exhibits On Saturday afternoon the Governor-General, Lord Galway, will officially declare the Centennial Exhibition closed. Plans for the ceremony, and for the actual closing of the Exhibition, were announced by the general manager of the Exhibition Company, Mr. Hainsworth, yesterday. The ceremony will in general form closely the opening ceremony last November. It will take place at 3 o’clock, in the north bandcourt, if the weather is favourable, or else in the assembly hall. A platform' will be specially erected in the bandcourt, and there will be an enclosure for ticket-holders, who are to be seated by 2.40 p.m. at latest.

On arrival ins Excellency will inspect. a military guard of honour drawn up by the fountain, and .will be met by officials of the Exhibition Company, and escorted to his seat on the dais. The anthem, “God Defend hew Zealand,” will be sung, accompanied by the Port Nicholson Silver Band, after which there will be addresses by the chairman of directors of the Exhibition, Mr. Hislop, mayor of Wellington, the president, Mr. Sullivan, Minister of Industries and Commerce, and the Prime Minister, Mr.-Fraser. His Excellency will then formally declare the Exhibition over. The Archbishop of New Zealand, Most Rev. Campbell West-Watson, will lead the assembly in prayer, and the ceremony will conclude with the singing of “Oh, God Ou!r Help In Ages Past,” the Benediction by the Primate, and the National Anthem.

Crowded Saturday Night Expected.

Though officially closed, the Exhibition will remain open aS usual on Saturday night, which is indeed expected to be the most uproarious and crowded night of its whole period. The buildings will close at the usual hour, but no exhibitors will be permitted to remove .any of their exhibits that night. On the departure of the public, and the .closing of the Exhibition that night, the gates will finally be shut and the public will be excluded from the grounds- From that time, the only access will be by the Kingsford Smith Street gate. All passes and tickets will 'become invalid, and admission will be only by special pass. . Removal of Exhibits. On Sunday, and on all subsequent Sundays, the grounds will be closed to all except Exhibition Company officials. From Monday, the main gate only will be opened for the removal of exhibits from 5.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on weekdays, and 7.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. As the Exhibition is a bonded store, exhibits cannot be removed from the the grounds except under close supervision. To do so, ■an exhibitor must first obtain a clearance from the Exhibition Company secretary to show he has met all liabilities, a pass-out permit from the delivery clerk, and an endorsement from the Customs officials. Exhibitors have been notified that the removal of exhibits and the demolition and removal of stands, must be carried out within one month.